Clasp for loose-leaf binders.



PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905.

W. P. HEFFNER. CLASP FOR LOOSE LEAF BINDBRS.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 22, 1905.

uNITnD srnrns PATENT OFFIOE.

WILLIAM F. HEFFNER, OFy BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO HENRY SPATZ AND ONE-FOURTH TO JOHN L. TAYLOR, BOTH OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN.

CLASP FOR LOOSE-LEAF BINDERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1905.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. HEFFNER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Benton Harbor, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Olasps for Loose- Leaf Binders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and vexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in IO the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in loose-leaf clasps, and is adapted mainly for use in connection with books, files, and ledgers in which the leaves are removable for the replacement of new ones; and the object of the said invention is to provide a device which is easily and cheaply manufactured and at the same time simple in construction.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain the same comprises, further, the various details of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts and features, which will be hereinafter more fully set forth and described and then pointed out in the appended claim.

' The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this application, and in which drawings similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the views, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of 'a looseleaf book,showingthe invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device removed, and Fig. L is a sectional View on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the stiffened leather backing of a loose-leaf book, and B is a sheet of linen paper or any other suitable material pasted on the-inside faces of the stitfened back to give a finished appearance to the book.

O designates a strip of pasteboard, which is placed in the middle of the backing, and D is the base of the clasp, which is made of metal or any other suitable material, the ends of which being made thin are bent under the said pasteboard, as at E, to securely hold said base to the pasteboard. To securely hold said base of the clasp and pasteboard in position, a piece of linen F is provided,which is shown in Fig. l in dotted lines and in Fig. 2 in section. Said piece F has elongated apertures G, which are passed down over the archformed clasps. Thus it will be understood how the base of the clasps and the pasteboard are held in place. The clasp is made in two separate pieces, and when the same is closed it has the appearance of an arch. The two separate pieces are designated by the letters H and I. The lower portion of the piece H is bent at right angles to the vertical portion of said piece, as at J, and is provided with laterally-disposed lugs K substantially at the bend of the said bent portion, said lugs having a pivotal engagement with notches L, formed in the vertically-disposed side flanges M. N designates an elongated aperture adapted to receive the end of a spring O, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The opposite piece I of the clasp, which is held rigid, is also bent at its lower portion and held under the body portion of the spring O by means of oppositely-disposed ears Q, which are bent over the said body portion of the spring and the bent portion of the piece I, as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. To prevent lateral displacement of the piece H when in closed position, the piece I is provided with a semicircular projection R, which is engaged by a similar shaped recess S in the piece H, as will be clearly seen in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

To operate the device, it is necessary to swing the piece H upon its pivot, then to insert the piece I through the elongated openings formed in the loose sheets Al and allow the piece H to snap together, as will be clearly understood by referring to the drawings.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A clasp for loose-leaf binders comprising a plate adapted for attachment to the cover of abinder, said plate having longitudinal flanges upon its opposite edges, lugs projecting from said flanges at positions opposite each other, a clasp member I having' its base passing IOO underneath said lugs, a spring resting upon at an angle and positioned underneath said IO the base of said clasp-piece and engaged by spring, as shown and described.

said lugs which are bent toward each other, In testimony whereof I hereunto aiix my a pivotal clasp-section having outvvardly-eX- signature in presence of two Witnesses.

'tending lugs which are Journaled 1n recesses WILLIAM E HEFFNER.

1n said fianges, a portlon of said pivotal elaspsection having an aperture therein through Witnesses:

which the free end of'said spring passes, a G. M. VALENTINE,

portion ofthe pivotal clasp-section being bent ANNAl E. J ENNINGS. 

